The Star and the Ocean (Book 1 in the Starborn Series)

Prologue

With a champagne bottle cradled firmly in the crook of their arm, Welkin picked their way through the choked undergrowth of an ancient alpine forest.

They had made this trip many times before, but never by land, and certainly never by foot. The craggy terrain and steep incline were far more challenging than it had ever appeared from above. Though Welkin was anxious and eager to arrive, their cargo was too precious to risk unchecked hurry. They would get there when they got there; they had to be careful.

But they also had to be getting close by now. Welkin had been hiking for hours. Here the air was as thin as it was cold. The forest whispered, years of time settled thickly over the trees like dust. There was magic in this place, Welkin could feel it vibrating between every atom that made up their corporeal form.

It wouldn't be long now.

Gingerly they pulled the bottle out from beneath their many overlapping layers of scarves and cloak. Holding it aloft, they inspected it in the fading light of day. Instead of bubbling crystalline drink, the bottle played host to something far more precious. Floating ghostlike in the glass was a nebula in miniature. Glittering vapour swirled in jewelled shades of purples, blues, and golds. Twinkling lights drifted lazily around a bright, pulsing nucleus, like planets orbiting their sun.

"We're almost there," Welkin murmured against the opaque green glass.

This was the reason they had to make the journey on foot. This was why they had to travel with gentle strides and a soft hand.

Their eyes searched the swirling spectre inside the bottle, looking for changes that could signal trouble.

Had the glow dimmed?

Were the lights blinking out?

But, no, all was well. Satisfied nothing had changed since their last fearful examination—hardly an hour earlier—Welkin tucked the bottle back beneath their robes and pressed onward through the trees.

The world was draped in shadows by the time they stepped into the small meadow at the base of the cliffs. They knew that in the light of day the clearing was dotted with hardy wildflowers, marking a colorful path that led to a gaping cave mouth that yawned from the mountain's stone. In the sun, this place was tranquil and inviting. But in the evening gloom it felt as dangerous as Welkin's reason for being there.

From the cave, a milky figure emerged like a spirit. It stood tall and watched Welkin cross the meadow with curious stillness.

"You've caught me by surprise, Welkin," said the figure in a voice that seemed eerily detached in the darkness. "And after all my many years, that's not an easy thing to do."

After making their way to the foot of the cliff, Welkin could see the figure more clearly. Towering upright on two powerful hind legs, a feline creature blinked down at Welkin with magenta eyes that glowed bright in the evening shadows.

"I've come to collect on a debt you owe me, Emandi," Welkin announced.

They retrieved the bottle and held it high between them. The Emandi's eyes sparkled with amusement.

"With a drink? I've never known you to imbibe, my friend. Although, if that's all I must do to settle the score between us, I dare say you're letting me off easy."

Welkin stepped closer and hoisted the bottle into the Emandi's face. Only then did the creature's luminous eyes spot what was held inside the glass, and they grew wide with comprehension.

"Is that..." the Emandi looked to Welkin, aghast. "How? Whose?"

"They killed her, Emandi," Welkin answered. Their voice was tight with the strain of saying the words aloud—as if uttering the truth was the only thing that made it so. "They killed the only person I have left in this world and what's in this bottle is all that remains."

Flick went the tip of the Emandi's mighty tail—the only sign the creature was perturbed.

"Perhaps this is for the best," they said. "With her gone, perhaps at last you can begin to let go."

"No," Welkin growled. It was both a proclamation and a threat.

Flick, flick.

"Then what would you have me do, Welkin?" the Emandi asked. "Why are you here?"

"I'm here because you're going to help me." Welkin pressed the bottle firmly into the Emandi's hand-like forepaws.

"Together, we're going to save her.

Together, we're going to bring her back."

***

✨ Thanks for reading! If you like my work and would like to support me, you can...✨
⭐ Subscribe or donate at Ko-Fi.com/Maggie
⭐ Share this story with your friends on social media